


Opinion Piece

by forgetcanon



Series: and love was their savior [12]
Category: Star Wars Legends: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Genre: F/M, atton is an annoyance, bao-dur just wants to do some work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 09:26:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10434660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forgetcanon/pseuds/forgetcanon
Summary: Atton asks Bao-Dur for his opinion about the Exile. All it does is lower Bao-Dur's opinion of their pilot.





	

After Bao-Dur turned on the generator and the lights throughout the ship flickered, he figured that the wiring in the ship was a top priority. Who knew what the freighter had been through before the General picked it up, but whatever it had been had overloaded just about everything. He couldn’t replace the burnt out fuses until they made port, but he could certainly replace the wires that had been damaged by the overload.

T3-M4 was a massive help. The droid was familiar with the ship. It knew that a few spare fuses and tools were kept beneath the plating in the garage, which was more than anyone else did. It also knew the path that the wiring followed and lead him to problem areas with little prompting. So far, it was the best thing to come out of this new arrangement.

The general had looked surprised when she saw him getting to work immediately, but she’d asked what he was doing and then left him to it. Kreia had disappeared into the port quarters and had not emerged since. And the Handmaiden, well. What she did in the cargo hold was none of his concern unless it interfered with the ship's systems.

For a ship with so few people on it, however, it seemed that at least one person was willing to distract him. Remote warned him with a quiet beep that someone was coming a moment before the pilot appeared in the doorway.

"Got a minute?"

Bao-Dur knew his type. Their hours were empty and so they tried to fill them with music, alcohol, sex, and who knows what else. The more annoying ones assumed that everyone else did the same. Bao-Dur would be surprised if Atton had any plans beyond his next paycheck. Not that Bao-Dur was in a place to judge him. He’d been there. Not as _loudly_ as some, but he’d been there.

He just hated the reminder.

So he didn’t look up from the wiring. T3-M4 returned its photoreceptor to the task at hand. “I’m trying to work here."

The pilot took that as an invitation, rather than a dismissal. He leaned on the workbench. “Hey, it’ll only take a minute."

“Alright. I’ll work while you talk.”

Atton shifted his weight a bit. Maybe he was getting the hint. But it was not to be- Atton plowed on through. “Look, your friend, the Jedi. You know her from way back, don’t you?"

“The General?” Bao-Dur shrugged. “Yeah, I knew her during the war, if that’s what you mean by ‘way back.’” It was always what people meant.

“How much do you know about her, really?"

Bao-Dur closed his eyes and forced his hand to relax on the pliers. Gossip. Atton was distracting him for gossip. “Not too much."

“Better than anyone else on the ship.” Apparently not reading Bao-Dur’s growing frustration, Atton pushed himself off the workbench and came around to crouch in front of Bao-Dur. T3-M4 rolled back slightly to give him space. "So give me your opinion, okay? And don’t laugh."

“I'm trying to work here, Atton,” Bao-Dur tried. What would it take, a flashing sign?

Atton waved his hand. “I was just wondering, if you thought, well, maybe she and I-"

Oh no. Oh no no no. Atton wasn’t trying to _gossip_. He was asking for _advice_. Romantic advice.

“You’re being serious,” Bao-Dur said in disbelief. He was several things. Someone people asked for romantic advice was not one of them. He didn’t think his opinion of Atton’s perception could get much lower, but it appeared the man was full of surprises.

Atton’s eyes narrowed. “You said you wouldn’t laugh!"

Bao-Dur put down the pliers for a moment in order to rub his forehead. At least Atton wasn’t likely to register his shaky breath for the quiet laugh that it was. “You _are_ being serious.” He shook his head. “Atton, she was a general. I was just a tech. Your guess is just about as good as mine."

“So, what’s your guess?"

When Bao-Dur picked the pliers back up, Atton leaned in, edging his personal space between Bao-Dur and the paneling on the floor. Atton’s personal drama was just amusing enough that he tolerated it. “Atton, any information I could give you is the result of a chain of gossip. On top of that, it’s ten years old. Quite a bit has happened since."

“ _And_?"

Bao-Dur shrugged. It wouldn’t hurt. “As the rumor mill went, the General ranges from not keeping any company, to keeping the company of _anyone_ , to having a lover back home. You can pick which theory suits you best."

T3-M4 beeped. <Analysis: Inaccurate data. Joking query: Reconfigure sensors?>

 Atton’s face darkened. “Now _you’re_ laughing at me?” He lashed out with an undignified kick that glanced off T3-M4 and  landed him on his behind. “I’ll put you on the scrap heap, you walking tin can!"

T3-M4 wheeled back and chortled. <Analysis: This unit possesses wheels.>

“Not when I’m done with you, you won’t!"

“Hey!” Bao-Dur said sharply. Atton flinched in surprise. “We were _working_. If you want to find an answer, ask her yourself."

“Hah! No.” Atton stood and marched out of the garage. “Kriffing ungrateful. Should have left you to rot on Telos…"

“Did he mean you, or me?” Bao-Dur murmured.

T3-M4 whistled softly. <Assessment: Pilot poses risk. Secondary assessment: Amusing.>

Bao-Dur glanced at the old droid out of the corner of his eye. “Amusing?"

<Affirmative.>

“You’ve been programmed to assess amusement?"

T3-M4 rolled forwards and backwards. <Assessment: Work incomplete.>

Bao-Dur eyed it a moment longer before he shrugged. The droid was quirky, but so far it seemed solid. He could take a closer look later.

For now, the wiring still needed their attention. It, at least, didn't care to ask his opinion.


End file.
